Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 12.djvu/205

193 STABLE MANAGEMENT.] HORSE 193 trance of cold currents to any great extent thereby hindered. When the stable is empty, doors and windows should be thrown open it the weather allow it to be done without reduc ing the temperature too much. These remarks on ventilation apply chiefly to smaller stables built in the vicinity of a dwelling house ; in the case of stables built in open spaces, for the reception of a large stud, recourse will generally be had to the advice of a civil engineer on the question of ventilation, but even then experience has shown that the difficulty will not be wholly overcome. The apertures iu the walls for the escape of foul air, which, being lighter than fresh, ascends, should in no case be less than 7 feet from the ground. If the ventilators are lower than this there will be a current of cold air blowing on the horse s body, which would be injurious at all times, but especially when the horse comes in warm from work. Draper- Temperature is of course an important matter, but chiefly ure - so during the colder portions of the year. In summer it is all but impossible to keep stables cool when the ther mometer is standing at 80 Fahr. in the shade ; still if the situation is favourable to coolness, and the temperature can be kept below 70, so much the better. During the hunting season, stables may be too warm by accident or from design : they may be overheated owing to in sufficient ventilation, or because the groom connects a glossy coat with a stable bordering on tropical heat. About 55 Fahr. is a good mean temperature, but this cannot of course be maintained when the outside air is some 10 or 15 degrees higher ; the most that can be done is to keep the temperature up to that point in cold weather A moderate temperature and moderate clothing are better than too low a temperature with excessive covering, or too high a temperature with but little clothing. oth- Having mentioned clothing incidentally, it may here be said that the best shape is the ordinary sheet, cut out at the neck, and buckled across the chest ; the sheet should be long enough to reach the root of the tail, and should be large enough to buckle easily round the chest ; if it be tight the hair will be rubbed. Some people prefer a straight rug that does not buckle, the front being formed of a separate breast cloth. Hoods are only needed when at exercise in bad weather, or when the horse is travelling by railway. Particular care slumld be taken that the roller does not touch the back bone; the pads should be so placed that there is a clear space of 4 inches between them, so as to leave a clear channel over the back bone. The neglect of this precaution will inevitably produce a sore back, and, while first of all making the horse shy of being touched, may subsequently make him vicious in the stable. i neral Regularity is absolutely indispensable to successful stable na S e &quot; management; without it, the horse may be subjected to a dozen different kinds of treatment in as many days, a course obviously detrimental to his health. The engagement of a good groom is the first step. Where there is a stud of ten or more horses, a stud groom will probably be kept, and, as he will not do much work himself, indeed it is better that he should not, he should know how things ought to be done, and see that they are done. In small establishment*, however, there will be but one or two men ; but the head one should be a thorough stableman. The more ignorant he is of the veterinary art the better ; indeed, every horse owner should, in the strictest terms, forbid his servants to administer any drug or medicine whatever without permission ; and the owner himself may be advised never to sanction the giving of any physic, but always to seek good professional advice if any signs of sickness are visible. Stable work should commence early, as soon after 6 A.M. as possible. The first duty is to examine each animal care fully, to discover whether any injury has been received during the night from kicking, getting cast, or any other cause. Horses are then fed and watered, the litter is turned up, that which has been in use during the night not being allowed to remain in the stable during the day, and the stable is put in order ; exercise succeeds, after which the animals are thoroughly dressed, but the dressing should never be performed out of doors. Feeding takes place again at 12 noon, 4 P.M., and 8 P.M., when the horses are done up for the night. Of the feeding of race-horses nothing need be said here, Feeding as their care is a business of itself, with which the private person has nothing to do. Oats and hay form the diet upon which horses are kept, to which beans are added for hunters and horses in hard work ; while bran, linseed, and carrots are used fur special purposes, in addition to, or sometimes in substitution for, the regular food. Hacks and horses in light work will do well on a daily allowance of 8 to 10 Ib of oats and 10 or 12 It) of hay. Beans, which contain about 30 per cent, of nutri ment, are heating, and should be given only now and then in small quantities. The oats are best divided into four feeds, and beans when used should be given at the midday and lost feeds A handful or two of chaff is useful with each feed, as it compels a horse to masticate, but in many stables there is a prejudice against it, and the hay is put into the rack four times a day, not more than 3 ft&amp;gt; being given at one time. Oats should be bruised ; but, as they soon turn sour, it will be best to bruise every morning only as much as will suffice for the day s consumption. Bran is indigestible, but it is a laxative, and, so far as hunters are concerned, it is only given in the form of a mash after a day s hunting, and on Saturday nights. To make a bran mash, put half a pint of linseed in a pan, pour a quart of boiling water upon it, and let it soak for four hours, then take about 2ift&amp;gt; of bran and mix with it enough hot water to saturate it; stir the linseed composi tion into this, and it is fit for use. Should the mash be put in the manger, the latter should be scoured out with hot water afterwards, or the sourness of the remains of the mash will make many horses refuse their corn. A few carrots, which must be carefully washed and scraped, given every now and then, are useful as tending to keep the blood in good order, and checking any symp toms of fever induced by the dry food upon which horses live. Maize OF Indian corn contains so small a proportion of nutritious matter that it is not fit for hunters or for horses from which fast work is required. The London General Omnibus Company feed their large stud almost entirely on this diet, and it is found to answer (see Mr Church s evidence before Lord Rosebery s Horse Com mittee, 1873). It is given in the same quantity as oats. Of late years corn merchants have introduced the system of foraging gentlemen s horses at the fixed price of one shilling per hand per week. Thus a horse of 15 2 would be foraged for IGs., and one between 14 and 15 hands for 15s. A correct system of watering horses is no less important Water- than proper feeding with dry food. Many grooms, in their ig- horror at giving too much, fall into the opposite extreme, and stint the horses under their care to an extent that is positively cruel. The result of such a system is fever in various shapes, and a general loss of condition. There has of late years been a growing tendency to favour the plan of letting horses have access to watei at all hours of the day and night, and experience has shown that the effect is beneficial. A separate tank in the stall or loose box is fed by a tap, and a constant supply should be kept up. If a horse watered on this plan be watched, it will be seen that XII. 2q